Cardiac arrest
Here you'll find our current definition of the critical illness, additional condition or child specific condition we cover. We've also listed any previous definitions we may have had. With each new definition we've highlighted what's changed from the previous definition.
Current definition
March 2020
Cardiac Arrest - with insertion of a defibrillator
Sudden loss of heart function with interruption of blood flow around the body resulting in unconsciousness and the undergoing of, or inclusion on the NHS waiting list for, surgery to insert either of the following devices:
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD); or
- Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy with Defibrillator (CRT-D).
The following are not covered:
- insertion of a pacemaker; and
- insertion of a defibrillator without cardiac arrest.
Changes from the previous definition
We've added advanced surgery benefit so that we now pay out on inclusion on NHS surgery wait list.
Previous definitions
November 2015
Cardiac arrest – with insertion of a defibrillator
Sudden loss of heart function with interruption of blood flow around the body resulting in unconsciousness and either of the following devices being surgically inserted:
- Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD); or
- Cardiac Resynchronisation Therapy with Defibrillator (CRT-D).
The following are not covered:
- insertion of a pacemaker; and
- insertion of a defibrillator without cardiac arrest.